One More Night
by RueEmerson
Summary: Another Caryl story. What happened one night when Carol couldn't sleep. Don't own these characters but love spending time with them.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: Another one-shot (well, let's call this a short story) that must be born. I promise I will add to my other Caryl fic "Everything I Do" soon! This takes place not long after the TWD:S3 episode in which Carol appears in Daryl's cell to thank him for saving her._**

Carol tossed and turned in her bunk as sleep eluded her once again since Daryl had rescued her from the tombs.

Hiding from the Walkers and knowing T-Dog had sacrificed himself for her weighed heavy on her mind.

Rolling over for the tenth time, she finally got out of bed.

She knew Daryl was often plagued by nightmares of his own, so she left her cell and quietly padded down the cellblock towards his cell. She hesitated in his doorway, peering into darkness within.

"What's wrong?" he sleepily muttered, sitting up and swinging his legs off the bunk.

"I can't sleep," Carol whispered, edging into his cell. He motioned for her to sit next to him.

She leaned against him and sighed.

"Every time I close my eyes, all I keep picturing are Walkers advancing and thinking 'this is it,'" she said.

They were silent for a while.

Daryl didn't tell her all he envisioned was her graveside and that he was sure he'd lost her for good without telling her how important she was to him.

"Ya wanna stay 'ere t'night?" he finally spoke.

She turned her head in surprise at his invitation.

"You sure?" she asked. He gave her a slight nod.

Carol crawled into his bunk and settled against the wall. Daryl lay down beside her before startling her by pulling her to his side, causing her to rest her head on his shoulder. She tentatively placed her hand on his chest and he covered it with his free hand.

"Try to get some rest," he murmured in her hair.

She was eventually lulled to sleep by his heartbeat under her ear. He followed suit, reassured of her existence by the warmth of her body nestled to his.

* * *

Daryl snapped out of his slumber when he heard footsteps. Carol shifted and made an intelligible sound when he inadvertently tightened his arm around her.

"Daryl, we need to make a run this mor…" Rick called out as he appeared in the doorway. He didn't finish his sentence, shocked at the sight of Carol curled up with Daryl.

Daryl put his index finger to his mouth to hush the sheriff. He didn't want to wake Carol if he didn't have to.

Rick seemed to understand and lifted his hands up in surrender as he backed away. Carol was having a rough time bouncing back since Daryl had found her alive.

He decided the run would have to wait or he'd have Glenn do it. He made sure to tell the others to let Daryl and Carol sleep, omitting the part about them being in the same cell.


	2. Chapter 2

When Carol stirred, she felt more relaxed than she had in ages. She suddenly remembered she was not alone and fought the urge to blush. Her body was intimately pressed into Daryl's as if they had been together for years.

Daryl noticed the change in her breathing, having not gone back to sleep since Rick's brief appearance. He hadn't moved a muscle, partly because he was aroused and didn't know what the hell to do about it.

Carol mentally panicked. Should she casually stretch and slip out of bed? Should she say something? Should she make a move on him?

Sure they had kidded each other with sexual innuendos before but they had never acted on it.

Carol decided to go with her first choice — rapidly get out of bed and escape to the solace of her cell where she could hide in embarrassment.

She untangled herself from him without looking at him and started to ease over him. However, he wasn't having none of it.

"Where ya think yer goin'?" he hoarsely asked, bringing up a knee to block her from leaving the bed. He caught her chin to force her to look at him.

Her eyes met his and she saw the stark need in his expression.

"I should go help in the kitchen," she stuttered, a heady rush of heat coursing through her body.

"They'll be fine without ya," he replied, slipping a hand around her neck to bring her nearly nose-to-nose with him. His lips met hers and she quit resisting.

Daryl pulled the rest of her body on top of his so she was flush against every hard inch of him.

He broke the kiss, his teeth grazing her jaw and down her neck to nibble on her jugular. Carol let out a soft whimper at the contact.

"Ya like that?" he whispered in her ear, shooting shivers down her spine.

"Yes," she breathed, arching into him and grinding. He released a low moan.

Gripping her hips, he rolled them over and covered her mouth with his as he settled on her. She wrapped her arms around him, one hand pressing on his lower back and the other raking into his hair.

He broke the kiss and leaned back to look into her face. Her lips were swollen and her hair wisped around her ears. She was the most exquisite thing he'd ever seen.

"What's wrong?" Carol anxiously asked, her eyes searching his. Daryl gave her his trademark half-smile.

"Nuthin'. Yer beautiful and I want ya bad," he replied, emphasizing the last statement by bucking his hips against her. She blushed.

"But we'll hafta do somethin' 'bout it later," he added as the sound of voices neared. He rolled off her and pulled her tight to him. She buried her face in his neck.

Carol recognized the voices as the Greene sisters and she heard her name mentioned. Daryl yanked his blanket partially over them to hide his apparent hard on and shut his eyes, silently cursing the girls for their terrible timing.

As they passed Daryl's cell, Beth gasped and halted, grabbing her sister's arm. Maggie rolled her eyes at Beth's reaction and playfully covered Beth's eyes before leading her on by.

She had put two and two together when Rick had mentioned Daryl and Carol needed their rest. It was obvious the two belonged together and she was happy for them.

Carol burrowed into Daryl's side, shaking.

"Ya okay?" he asked before he realized she was laughing.

She lifted herself up and peered down at him, a grin on her face.

"I feel like a teenager about to get caught by her family in her bedroom screwing around with her boyfriend," she softly said.

Daryl smirked. He had to admit it was a bit funny. Not to mention it thrilled him to hear her refer to him as her boyfriend. That was something he had never been labeled as before. Most women avoided him or had other terms to describe him when they heard he was a Dixon.

"Come on, woman. I guess we oughta get up 'fore someone else barges in," he said gently thumping her arm. She crawled over him and started for her cell.

Before she could exit his cell though, he hauled into his arms from behind and nuzzled the spot right below her ear, his scruff sending shivers through her again.

"Ya can take watch with me t'night in the tower if ya want," he huskily offered.

Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded and briefly twined her fingers with his. He reluctantly let her go, wishing it was night already.


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: Just a reminder that I have other Caryl one-shots if you need your Daryl-Carol fix: "All Of Me" precedes "Come For Me" and then the standalone "Soft Place To Fall" (which technically is the prequel to "Everything I Do," which is my current ongoing story). After seeing all the pics and interviews with Norman Reedus/Melissa McBride from ComicCon and shooting of TWD:S5, I'm crossing my fingers for some serious Caryl shipping come October!_**

Carol never thought she would ever be so excited to see the sun go down, for more reasons than one.

Beth had been giving her side-glances all day as she helped cook lunch and carried Judith around. Maggie had just smiled when she and Glenn wandered by. Rick squeezed her shoulder after dinner.

Carol barely saw Daryl that day for the fact he had ended up going hunting. He appeared at her side in time to deliver a doe he had felled. Since he was covered in dirt and blood, he had simply brushed fingers with her before disappearing for a shower before tower duty.

She made him a plate and headed for the tower as dusk was falling. Climbing the stairs she reddened at the thought about being alone with Daryl in the tower and the implication it would give the group. Glenn and Maggie regularly frequented the location when they didn't want to be disturbed.

Her heart aflutter, Carol told herself to calm down. She wanted this to happen, didn't she? Reaching the door to the platform, she shook her head and took a deep breath before entering.

Daryl met her with a smile and accepted his food. She stood at the railing while he ate, her gaze sweeping over the yard. The Walkers seemed less active at night and the noise they made was more muted.

Licking his fingers, Daryl cleaned his plate before tossing it to the side. He leaned against the rail next to her with his crossbow still strapped to his back. Even though he was more apt to use a shotgun from this angle, he felt naked without his crossbow nearby.

They didn't speak as they stared into the darkness for the longest time.

"I'm glad ya decided to stay with me t'night," Daryl said, moving closer, his shoulder brushing hers. Carol turned her head and gave him a shy smile.

She felt like she was on a first date even though they'd known each other for more than a year now. There was no reason to be nervous, she mentally chastised herself. They'd flirted enough and last night he made it clear he was interested. So why was she second-guessing herself?

"I'm glad, too," Carol said. Daryl stepped back from the railing and lifted his crossbow strap over his head, setting the weapon on the floor next to his pack. He then reached for her and drew her close.

"Now where were we 'fore we got interrupted?" he huskily said, lowering his head as he meshed his lips to hers.


	4. Chapter 4

Carol couldn't believe Daryl was actually taking matters into his own hands, literally.

The hunter expertly slid his fingers under her shirt and caressed her ribcage before sliding them down her backside and hauling her hips flush to his, causing her to moan into his mouth. She clung to him, her arms wrapped around his neck like he was her lifeline.

All the pent up emotion they had concealed prior to her "death" came pouring out. It took him losing her and her fearing she'd never see him again for them to admit they really did need each other.

Daryl spun around to trap her against the tower wall, pressing himself into her as tight as one could get without being naked. Carol arched into the hard planes of his body as their tongues dueled and their bodies rocked.

He broke the kiss and hid his face in her neck as he struggled for self-control not to rip her clothes off and bury himself in her right then and there. She sucked in deep breaths of air and tipped her head back against the window.

Neither spoke as he slowly lowered her so her feet could touch the floor again.

"I'd better get back to watchin'," Daryl muttered, not quite looking at her. Carol gently pushed his hair out of his eyes and cocked her head at him.

Honestly she was glad he had put on the brakes. She really didn't want their first time together to be in the tower; the second or third time maybe, but not their first. She bit back a smile at the thought but he noticed nevertheless.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" he asked, still holding her in his arms.

"That we're definitely going to screw around in the tower in the near future," Carol replied, giving him a heated look and provocatively moving against his arousal. She swore Daryl blushed. "But that I would like our first time or two to be in the comfort of our bed."

Her use of the phrase "our" didn't go unnoticed by Daryl and he smirked. The prospect of sleeping with Carol permanently more than excited him.

"We have a bed?" he kidded her. She playfully pushed at his shoulders and he released her.

Not wanting to spoil the mood by talking about potential living arrangements, Carol changed the subject as she moved back to the rail.

"Michonne seems to finding her stride," she said, referring to their newest member.

Daryl re-shouldered his crossbow and stood next to her, their arms touching.

"Yeah. Her an' that sword 's somethin'," he said. "Never seen nothin' like it 'fore."

Carol wondered if she would ever be that good with any hand-to-hand weapon. Sure she could shoot and she could grip a knife, but wielding a sword or a hatchet with precision seemed farfetched. She certainly didn't have the aim Daryl had with his arrows.

If only she'd been tougher or fiercer, she could have …

Daryl nudged her.

"Don't ya think that way," he quietly reprimanded her. He could see it written on her face. "Ya did whatcha could. Yer stronger than ya think, Carol."

She glanced at him and nodded.

They stared into the night, lost in their own thoughts until dawn.


	5. Chapter 5

Carol tried not to glare at Merle as he and Daryl tinkered with the motorcycle one afternoon.

She was a bit frustrated. Okay, maybe a lot frustrated.

She and Daryl had continued to fool around with stolen kisses and brief dry humping sessions the past couple of weeks but they had been unable to find an evening alone.

He was either on tower duty or she was worn out after a day of cooking and caring for Judith. Merle had become increasingly invasive, too; she suspected he was jealous of their budding relationship and deliberately inserting himself into Daryl's everyday schedule.

Daryl was feeling the strain, too. While he was glad he had his brother back, he wished Merle would give him some space.

Maggie sidled up to Carol and glanced at the brothers in the yard. She felt for Carol. She had been witness to Merle's shenanigans and was still secretly angry Rick had allowed the bastard in the gates.

"What am I supposed to do?" Carol softly asked Maggie. "I tried talking to Merle, to tell him to not interfere and what does he do? He goes ahead and interferes."

Carol sighed and Maggie put her head on Carol's shoulder.

Maggie knew she had to do something to get Merle out of the way so Carol and Daryl could spend some quiet time together. Maybe she could convince Glenn to have Rick send Merle on a run or something. With any luck, he'd get bit and they'd be permanently rid of him.

Both women gasped when Daryl shoved Merle. The brothers tussled, Daryl obviously angry while Merle laughed.

"Shut up!" Daryl snapped at his brother. Merle sneered at him.

"So you DO want to put it to Mouse?" Merle commented.

"Ain't none of yer business," Daryl retorted, shoving him.

"Come on, baby brother! Outta all the women here, yer with her?" Merle baited. "She ain't much of a woman and a bitch to boot. Now the farmer's daughter …"

"Don't talk 'bout her like that!" Daryl spat, throwing a punch at Merle's jaw. Merle deflected it and wrenched Daryl's arm behind him back, leaning close to his face.

"Now see here. F*** her brains out if you want, but remember who takes care of ya, little brother. I do. Not her," Merle hissed.

Daryl wrestled out of his grip and glared at him, his eyes narrowed.

"Ya don't get it, do ya?" Daryl said in a low voice, angrily tossing his rag on the ground. "She's my family now. I ain't leavin' her. Ya don't like it, then ya best move on."

With that, he turned on his heel and noticed Carol and Maggie nearby. He strode right over to them without a word and grabbed Carol's hand, almost dragging her with him as he headed inside.

Merle fumed in the distance at Maggie who quickly trailed behind the pair, smiling to herself as Daryl determinedly guided Carol deep into the prison.

Maggie veered off to leave them alone and warn Glenn and Rick about the brothers' blowup. She didn't want Merle doing something stupid like retaliating against Carol.


	6. Chapter 6

Merle growled at Rick as he made his way toward the ex-convict, Glenn not far behind.

"Am I in trouble, Officer?" Merle sarcastically asked as he eyed the two men as they approached.

xxxxx

Daryl whisked Carol into Cell Block D, which was now void of humans, both dead and alive.

Carol made no attempt to speak, knowing Daryl would when he was good and ready. She had learned long ago that her archer was the silent type.

He let go of her hand and paced nearby. She leaned against one of the cell bars and waited.

Daryl finally paused in front of her, occupying her personal space. His eyes were dark and brooding under those wayward locks. Carol calmly smiled at him as to reassure him.

"I ain't gonna let him tell me what to do anymore," he gruffly said. She nodded.

"Yer more important to me than him," he added. She lovingly touched his cheek, still saying nothing.

She knew this was hard for him to verbally express himself and she didn't want to interrupt whatever he was trying to tell her.

"Why can't he just …" Daryl said, trailing off. Did he want Merle to leave? Did he want Merle to accept this as it was? He didn't exactly know what he wanted his brother to do.

Carol slipped her arms around his shoulders and pressed herself to him. He smothered her with a tight embrace, clinging to her with all his might, his face buried her neck.

She let him be himself without judgment. He squeezed his eyes shut to keep from crying. He was a Dixon and Dixons don't cry, he told himself.

How did he get so lucky to have a woman like Carol?

They held each other for a while before he slightly pulled back to peer at her face.

"I love ya, ya know that right?" Daryl beseechingly said, his eyes searching hers.

Carol blinked, holding back her own tears that threatened to fall.

They had never declared it out loud. It was just a given. But to hear him say it aloud seared right to her core.

She nodded, willing herself to respond.

"I love you, too," she replied.

**_A/N: I promise the chapter you've been waiting for is right around the corner! I just binge watched TWD:S1-S4 and got inspired to write again …_**


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N: Thank you for all the support of this one-shot turned into full-on story! When I think of Daryl and Carol, Kelly Clarkson's "Beautiful Disaster" comes to mind._**

_Oh and I don't know / I don't know what he's after / But he's so beautiful / Such a beautiful disaster / And if I could hold on / Through the tears and the laughter / Would it be beautiful? / Or just a beautiful disaster_

One moment they were standing fully clothed in front of the cell and the next moment they were tangled in a state of undress on the cell bunk inside.

It wasn't fast and furious, but rather a slow dance as articles of clothing were aimlessly tossed aside until neither had a stitch on against the dusty mattress.

_He drowns in his dreams / An exquisite extreme I know / He's as damned as he seems / And more heaven than a heart could hold / And if I try to save him / My whole world could cave in / It just ain't right_

As Daryl hovered over her, Carol saw it flicker across his face that he was suddenly unsure of himself. She realized he probably hadn't done this much, if at all.

_He's soft to the touch / But frayed at the end he breaks / He's never enough / And still he's more than I can take_

Daryl gazed at Carol's face framed between his forearms and suddenly felt insecurity wash over him. He hadn't been with many women and all the ones he had been with were while he had been in a drunken stupor. He'd never actually made love with a woman, much less one he cared about.

_I'm longing for love and the logical / But he's only happy hysterical / I'm waiting for some kind of miracle / Waited so long / So long_

She soothingly slid her hands across his scarred back and urged him closer between her legs.

He settled in her willing arms, poised at her entrance, gritting his jaw.

She gripped his hips and bowed into him.

The moment they joined, they stared into each other's souls, bonding in a way neither had ever experienced. They moved as one, the only sounds echoing in the empty cell block were heavy breathing and the creaking of metal.

_He's magic and myth / As strong as what I believe / A tragedy with / More damage than a soul should see / And do I try to change him? / So hard not to blame him / Hold on tight_

Daryl's breath hitched as he neared his peak. But he didn't want to fall over the edge without Carol so he hoisted one of her thighs higher over his hip, giving him access to thrust deeper and harder.

Carol let out a keening mewl as Daryl raked against her spot. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be immersed in the intense pleasure that consumed her. He groaned as he rocked through her climax and found his own.

He collapsed against her while trying not to crush her, his face in her neck, soaking in her scent.

She couldn't recall the last time she had felt this good as she ghosted her hands across his sides and through his hair.

Shadows were beginning to appear in the cell block by the time they pulled apart. They dressed, shyly glancing at each other as they reveled in the afterglow of their newfound connection.

Daryl linked his fingers with Carol's as they exited the cell.

Their silent reverie was disrupted by a loud clang and muffled shouting as they neared Cell Block C.

Daryl dropped her hand and rushed forward. Carol raced after him, nearly colliding with his back while he came to an abrupt halt.

"So what, I'm under house arrest now?" Merle yelled.

Rick stood in front of the cell he had just thrown Merle in with a glaring Carl at his side, keys dangling from his hand.

"I guess you could say that. Until you get yourself under control, I don't think it's safe to let you wander the prison," Rick replied, as he rubbed his temple. He was sporting a shiner and bloody lip.

Glenn stood nearby with an incensed Maggie tending to scrapes and bruises on his arms and neck. The rest of the group lingered at the edges of the cell block unwilling to come closer.

Carol could feel tension radiating off Daryl and didn't know if she should intervene or let him loose.

"What the hell, Merle?" Daryl barked as he moved near his brother's cell. Merle locked eyes with Daryl and snorted.

"Are ya here to bail me out or ya gonna side with Officer Friendly?" Merle pointedly asked.

Daryl shook his head and got close to the cell bars.

"Don't make this 'bout me," he said in a menacingly low voice. "Ya did this all by ya'self. Yer gettin' what ya deserve."

Merle cocked his head, a frown on his face.

"So ya gonna put them 'fore yer own blood?" Merle growled.

Daryl slammed his palm against the cell bars.

"Look at yerself! Bein' a bully. We ain't gonna be yer punchin' bags no more," Daryl replied. "I told ya they're my family too. Ya can't get along, then ya can't stay. I got nothin' more t' say 'bout it."

With that, Daryl twisted around and muttered apologies to Rick and Glenn before striding out of the area. Carol shot Merle a warning look before following Daryl.

"Can't we all just get along?" Michonne mumbled to no one in particular from where she was perched on the stairs.


	8. Chapter 8

That night Carol lay asleep curled against Daryl in his bunk. He had one arm behind his head and the other around her as he stared at the bunk above.

The remainder of the day had gone by without incident other than Merle banging around and cursing in his locked cell.

Daryl refused to be around Merle right now. As much as he had always admired his brother, he had finally decided to put his foot down.

He ran a hand lightly up and down Carol's back and rubbed his nose in her hair.

She was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he wasn't about to let his brother come between them.

Carol stirred, only to burrow closer into his side.

"Get your rest," she sleepily whispered. "He's not going anywhere. We can deal with it in the morning."

He smirked in the dark. She always managed to be the voice of reason.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As it turned out, Merle decided he'd buck up and obey Rick's rules as a functioning member of the group rather than be separated again from his baby brother. It wasn't like he had anything else to live for.

He even tried to be on his best behavior when it came to Carol. He finally accepted she was Daryl's choice and that made her his sister, therefore she deserved the same protection he had for his brother.

Nobody was more shocked than Carol the day that came to fruition.

Rick had allowed Merle to go on a medicine run with Carol and Michonne while Daryl was out hunting.

Carol was exiting one of the strip mall stores when two outlaws rushed her. She dropped the basket she was carrying and reached for her gun but she was too slow. One yanked her from behind, covering her mouth, while the other relieved her of her weapons. She struggled but they were stronger than she was.

Michonne was in another store nearby and hadn't witnessed the altercation. But Merle did and he saw red. No one manhandled his brother's woman.

He charged the men with a roar. His sword hand fatally slid through the weapon grabber's ribcage, distracting the mouth coverer long enough for Carol to slip out of his grasp. Merle then jabbed his sword hand into the man's throat.

Carol stood there momentarily stunned as Merle calmly swiped all the weapons the dead outlaws had, returning to Carol her own gun and knife.

Michonne appeared, her face aghast at the Carol's blood-soaked shirt and blood dripping from Merle's sword hand. She wielded her katana at him, her eyes narrowed.

"Now listen 'ere, missy. I just saved her life. My sista's a lil' shook up, but fine," Merle said with a leer. "Yer fine, aren't ya, Mouse?"

Carol nodded. Michonne laid a hand on her shoulder.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I came out of the pharmacy and these two men jumped me before I could draw my gun," Carol said, sucking in a shaky breath before bending over to retrieve her basket loaded with meds and more.

Michonne drove her katana into the outlaws' brains so they wouldn't reanimate.

"I'm thinking we outta get back," Merle voiced. "No tellin' if these two have buddies."

"For once I agree," Michonne said, shoving her loot along with Carol's into the back of the Hyundai.

They rode back to the prison in silence.

Daryl was at the gate anxious for their return and he saw red when Carol stepped out of the backseat covered in dried blood.

"I'm fine," she reassured him as he examined her from head to toe, concern etched in his face. "Your brother saved me when two men attacked me outside a store. This is their blood, not mine."

Merle's eyes locked with Daryl's and Daryl subtly nodded his thanks. Merle's lips twitched before he went about unloading the vehicle with Michonne.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Carol climbed the steps up the tower to take Daryl his dinner. He was leaning against the window, smoking a cigarette when she appeared.

"You know those things are bad for you," she teased when he tossed it on the concrete and ground it out with his boot.

"Can't help it," he muttered as she handed him the plate. It had scared the beejeebies out of him when she emerged from the car covered in blood. She was his everything and to think of her injured or dying …

"Hey, I'm fine. Really," Carol reassured him for the tenth time that evening. Not hungry, for food anyway, Daryl set the plate aside and pulled her securely to him.

"I don't want ya goin' on any more runs without me," he murmured against the spot under her ear.

"I'll let you take that up with Rick," Carol breathily replied as his lips grazed her earlobe and shivers skid down her spine. His hands skimmed her sides before sliding under her shirt and across her skin.

She ran her fingers through his unruly mane as his mouth found hers. Without interruption, he lowered her to the floor, following her down.

As darkness fell, their bodies moved together as they comforted each other they were both still alive.


End file.
